| F. W. Smith Silver Company | |
| Location: | 60 Chestnut St., Gardner, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates: | 42.5786°N -71.9872°W |
| Area: | less than one acre |
| Added: | November 14, 1979 |
| Refnum: | 79000376 |
The F.W. Smith Silver Company is a historic factory building at 60 Chestnut Street in Gardner, Massachusetts. It was built in 1892 by Frank W. Smith,[1] who had begun manufacturing sterling silver silverware in 1886. The business continued under a succession of owners until 1958. The building is locally distinguished for its late Victorian commercial style, including a tower with pyramidal roof, and stained glass windows.[2] The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The Smith Silver Company building is located in a mainly residential area east of downtown Gardner. It is an L-shaped three story masonry structure, built out of red brick with granite trim. The main section, three stories topped by a square tower, presents a short five-bay facade to the street, and extends toward the back of the lot. A two-story ell, six bays wide, extends to the right. The tower features rich Romanesque detailing, including round-arch windows set in recesses, and is topped by a steeply pitched slate roof capped by a finial in the shape of a knife.[3]
Frank W. Smith was trained as a silversmith by his uncle, William Durgin, and opened his own shop in 1886, making sterling silver flatware.[4] His business grew rapidly, and the present factory was completed in 1892. Smith hired Arthur J. Stone, a Scottish silversmith, as a lead designer and supervisor, and also began producing handcrafted products as well as machine-made ones. Stone left Smith in 1901 to establish his own shop.[5] Silverware produced by the company was sold to Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Grace of Monaco.[5]